Hermetic terminal having pin-isolating feature

Abstract

A hermetic terminal is disclosed as having a body including an exterior surface and a plurality of openings in the body accommodating a pin extending through each opening that is hermetically sealed and electrically isolated from the body. The terminal also includes a dielectric pin-isolating feature forming a barrier that increases the operative through-air spacing between the pins of the terminal. The power rating for the terminal is thereby increased without increasing the overall size of the terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hermetic terminal comprising:
 a cup-shaped metallic body member including a generally flat bottom wall and a peripheral side wall, the bottom wall having an exterior surface and a plurality of first openings therein; 
 a plurality of current-conducting pins, at least one current-conducting pin extending through each first opening; 
 a dielectric sealing material extending between and hermetically sealing the current-conducting pins within the first openings; and 
 a dielectric pin-isolating feature attached to the body member comprising a lower base portion and an upper barrier portion, the base portion being sized and shaped to closely fit the periphery of the exterior surface of the bottom wall, and the upper barrier portion comprising a plurality of generally vertically-upstanding, generally planar, non-parallel ribs extending from the base portion in a direction generally parallel to a central axis of the hermetic terminal and terminating beyond the outer ends of the current-conducting pins; and 
 wherein the pin-isolating feature increases the operative through-air spacing between the current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       2. The hermetic terminal of  claim 1  wherein the base portion comprises an underside surface that is adjacent to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the body member so as to create a cavity between the base portion and the exterior surface. 
     
     
       3. The hermetic terminal of  claim 2  further comprising a dielectric injection molding material occupying the cavity. 
     
     
       4. The hermetic terminal of  claim 3  wherein the base portion comprises a plurality of second openings respectively aligning with the plurality of first openings in the body member;
 wherein the plurality of current-conducting pins are correspondingly received in the plurality of second openings. 
 
     
     
       5. The hermetic terminal of  claim 4  further comprising a dielectric injection molding material in the space between the second openings and the current-conducting pins. 
     
     
       6. The hermetic terminal of  claim 5  wherein each second opening comprises a neck portion, a first shoulder adjacent to the neck portion, and a second shoulder forming a portion of the underside surface of the base portion that is adjacent to the exterior surface of the bottom wall of the body member;
 wherein the neck portions of the second openings are in close proximity fit with the respective current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       7. The hermetic terminal of  claim 4  wherein the injection molding material forms one or more enlarged retaining heads on the upper surface of the base portion adjacent to one or more of the second openings. 
     
     
       8. The hermetic terminal of  claim 1  wherein the upper barrier portion further comprises a central portion including a cylindrical member having a passageway extending therethrough to the underside surface of the base portion. 
     
     
       9. The hermetic terminal of  claim 8  further comprising a dielectric injection molding material in the passageway. 
     
     
       10. The hermetic terminal of  claim 9  wherein the injection molding material forms an enlarged retaining head outside the passageway and against the central portion. 
     
     
       11. The hermetic terminal of  claim 1  wherein a through-air path between the current-conducting pins comprises a non-linear path that traverses over or around the pin-isolating feature. 
     
     
       12. The hermetic terminal of  claim 11  wherein the pin-isolating feature comprises an integrally-formed body comprising a moldable polymer material. 
     
     
       13. The hermetic terminal of  claim 12  wherein the moldable polymer material comprises polyphenyl sulfide. 
     
     
       14. The hermetic terminal of  claim 11  wherein the base portion further comprises an upper surface, a side wall, and an underside surface; and
 wherein a dielectric adhesive material is included between the underside surface and the exterior surface of the body member to attach the pin-isolating feature to the body member. 
 
     
     
       15. The hermetic terminal of  claim 11  wherein a dielectric adhesive material is included between the base portion and the exterior surface of the body member to bond the pin-isolating feature to the body member. 
     
     
       16. A hermetic terminal of  claim 1  comprising:
 a cup-shaped metallic body member including a generally flat bottom wall and a peripheral side wall, the bottom wall having an exterior surface and a plurality of first openings therein; 
 a plurality of current-conducting pins, at least one current-conducting in extending through each first opening; 
 a dielectric sealing material extending between and hermetically sealing the current-conducting pins within the first openings; and 
 a dielectric pin-isolating feature attached to the body member comprising a lower base portion and an upper barrier portion, the base portion being sized and shaped to closely fit the periphery of the exterior surface of the bottom wall, and the upper barrier portion comprising a plurality of generally vertically-upstanding, generally planar ribs extending from the base portion in a direction generally parallel to a central axis of the hermetic terminal and terminating beyond the outer ends of the current-conducting pins; 
 wherein the ribs are generally rectangularly-shaped, having a length extending longitudinally from the base portion and terminating beyond outer ends of the current-conducting pins and a width extending laterally outwardly from the central axis of the hermetic terminal to approximately the peripheral side wall of the body member; and 
 wherein the pin-isolating feature increases the operative through-air spacing between the current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       17. A hermetic terminal comprising:
 a cup-shaped metallic body member including a generally flat bottom wall and a peripheral side wall, the bottom wall having an exterior surface and three first openings therein; 
 three current-conducting pins, one current-conducting in extending through each first opening; 
 a dielectric sealing material extending between and hermetically sealing the current-conducting pins within the first openings; and 
 a dielectric pin-isolating feature attached to the body member comprising a lower base portion and an upper barrier portion, the base portion being sized and shaped to closely fit the periphery of the exterior surface of the bottom wall, and the upper barrier portion comprising a plurality of generally vertically-upstanding, generally planar ribs extending from the base portion in a direction generally parallel to a central axis of the hermetic terminal and terminating beyond the outer ends of the current-conducting pins; 
 wherein the pin-isolating feature comprises three ribs extending from the central axis of the hermetic terminal toward the peripheral side wall of the of the body member and being equally spaced apart at approximately 120 degree intervals; and 
 wherein the ribs separate adjacent current-conducting pins such that the ribs obstruct a direct, linear, through-air path between adjacent current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       18. A hermetic terminal comprising:
 a body including a wall having an exterior surface and a plurality of first openings therein; 
 a plurality of current conducting pins, one current-conducting pin extending through each first opening, the pins sealed within the first openings and electrically isolated from the body; 
 a dielectric barrier attached to the body, the barrier sized and shaped to closely fit a perimeter of the exterior surface of the wall, the barrier comprising a plurality of ribs, the ribs extending in a first direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pins and terminating in the first direction beyond the outer ends of the pins; and 
 wherein the barrier increases the operative through-air spacing between the pins. 
 
     
     
       19. The hermetic terminal of  claim 18  further comprising a dielectric adhesive material between the exterior surface of the body and the barrier for attaching the barrier to the body. 
     
     
       20. The hermetic terminal of  claim 19  wherein a through-air path between the current-conducting pins comprises a non-linear path that traverses over or around the barrier. 
     
     
       21. The hermetic terminal of  claim 19  wherein the barrier is integrally-formed from a moldable polymer material. 
     
     
       22. The hermetic terminal of  claim 21  wherein the moldable polymer material comprises one of a phenolic or a liquid silicone rubber. 
     
     
       23. The hermetic terminal of  claim 18  wherein the body further includes a peripheral side wall; and
 wherein the ribs extend in a second direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pins and terminate in the second direction near the peripheral side wall. 
 
     
     
       24. The hermetic terminal of  claim 18  wherein the barrier further comprises a base portion comprising an underside surface that is adjacent to at least a portion of the exterior surface so as to create a cavity between the base portion and the exterior surface. 
     
     
       25. The hermetic terminal of  claim 24  further comprising a dielectric injection molding material occupying the cavity. 
     
     
       26. The hermetic terminal of  claim 25  wherein the base portion further comprises a plurality of second openings respectively aligning with the plurality of first openings;
 wherein plurality of second openings respectively receive the plurality of current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       27. The hermetic terminal of  claim 26  wherein the dielectric injection molding material occupies the space between the second openings and the current-conducting pins. 
     
     
       28. The hermetic terminal of  claim 27  wherein each second opening comprises a neck portion, a first shoulder adjacent to the neck portion, and a second shoulder forming a portion of the underside surface of the base portion that is adjacent to the exterior surface of the bottom wall of the body member;
 wherein the neck portions of the second openings are in close proximity fit with the respective current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       29. The hermetic terminal of  claim 27  wherein the base portion further comprises an upper surface; and
 wherein the injection molding material forms one or more enlarged retaining heads at the upper surface adjacent to at least one of the second openings. 
 
     
     
       30. The hermetic terminal of  claim 25  wherein the barrier further comprises an upper portion, the upper portion comprising the ribs and a central portion comprising a cylindrical member having a passageway extending therethrough to the underside surface of the base portion;
 wherein the dielectric injection molding material occupies the passageway. 
 
     
     
       31. The hermetic terminal of  claim 30  wherein the injection molding material forms an enlarged retaining head located outside of the passageway and against the cylindrical member. 
     
     
       32. A hermetic terminal comprising:
 a body including a wall having an exterior surface and three openings therein; 
 three current conducting pins, one current-conducting in extending through each opening, the pins sealed within the openings and electrically isolated from the body; 
 a dielectric barrier attached to the body, the barrier comprising a plurality of ribs, the ribs extending in a first direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pins and terminating in the first direction beyond the outer ends of the pins; 
 wherein the barrier comprises three ribs extending from a central axis of the hermetic terminal toward a peripheral side wall of the of the body, the ribs being equally spaced apart at approximately 120 degree intervals; and 
 wherein the ribs separate adjacent current-conducting pins such that the ribs obstruct a direct, linear, through-air path between adjacent current-conducting pins. 
 
     
     
       33. The hermetic terminal of  claim 32  wherein the shortest through-air path between the adjacent current-conducting pins comprises a non-linear path that traverses over or around the barrier.